Persistent sales agent for complex online transactions

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes systems and methods employing branded virtual characters across multiple network platforms throughout various stages of complex transactions (eg, selling insurance). These characters initially engage prospective customers on a network platform, such as a social network, and persist over time across other network platforms (eg, university and company websites) to educate consumers until they are ready to purchase—from their “trusted advisor”—particular products and services offered by various providers. Even after completing transactions, these characters continue to provide various services, such as notifying a customer whose circumstances have changed of a relevant product or service, while remaining available to answer questions and provide information upon demand. By employing a semi-automated model, the system of the present invention can answer many questions via predetermined vignettes and automated answers generated by expert systems, while still utilizing live human experts (often transparently) when necessary.

PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation of and claims the benefit ofU.S. Non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/433,720 titled“PERSISTENT SALES AGENT FOR COMPLEX TRANSACTIONS filed on Apr. 30, 2009,the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference aspart of the specification of this patent application.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Art

This application relates generally to the field of online sales anddistribution systems and, in particular, to an interactive system thatfacilitates complex transactions by employing branded characters thatpersist across multiple platforms throughout the various stages of suchtransactions.

2. Description of Related Art

Since the advent of the Web in the early 1990s, online transactionsconducted via the Internet have continued to grow at exponential rates.Virtually every conceivable product or service is currently availableonline, whether directly to consumers or among businesses at variousstages of the distribution chain.

As technology has improved, online transactions have proliferated due tothe development of transaction processing infrastructure, greaterbandwidth and storage capacity, as well as improved interactivity andthe use of high-quality graphics, animation and even video to showcaseproducts and services online. For example, digital products such assoftware and music can easily be purchased and downloaded today from avast array of online merchants. Transactions involving “physical”products, such as clothes and furniture, are not much more complex, withonline shipping arrangements replacing the download process. Inaddition, many services are performed online today with relative ease,from learning how to type to renewing a vehicle registration.

Nevertheless, certain types of products and services are less amenablethan others to effective online distribution. Transactions involvingsuch products and services are relatively complex in that they requireconsumers not merely to compare features and prices, but also to educatethemselves to determine not only which product or service to purchasebut whether or when to purchase a particular product or service basedupon personal profile and other information specific to consumers andtheir families. For example, insurance products and other financialservices often involve a host of other factors beyond features andprices, such as differing payouts across a wide range of hypotheticalfuture scenarios.

It is well known in the insurance industry, for example, that one of thekey obstacles to selling insurance products is the high cost of customeracquisition. Whether employing a direct sales force or independentagents and brokers (or a combination of the two), insurance carriersface the problem of leveraging relatively expensive insurance agents andbrokers among prospective customers who span a wide range of demographicprofiles and who, to put it simply, do not trust insurance salesmen.Young adults represent a particularly difficult demographic in that theyare less likely to think “long term,” and rarely purchase optionalinsurance coverage beyond the basic health plan offered by theiremployer or policies required for regulatory reasons, such as autoinsurance.

Moreover, insurance products are inherently complex, which increases notonly the cost of customer acquisition but also the length of salescycles. Demonstrating the value to a prospective customer of aparticular insurance product, such as a long-term disability policy,often requires obtaining personal information about the customer, aswell as educating the customer about the potential benefits provided bythe policy in various future scenarios. An insurance agent might be veryknowledgeable about the details of long-term disability policies, andyet know next to nothing about term life insurance. Servicing multipleareas of expertise requires a greater number of agents and brokers, orat least ones with greater expertise, further increasing customeracquisition costs.

It is not surprising then that insurance carriers, as well as agents andbrokers, are looking to the Internet for ways to leverage limited humanresources to target large numbers of prospective customers with an arrayof complex products requiring multiple areas of expertise. For example,companies such as Univers Workplace Solutions of Hammonton, N.J. andImpact Technologies of Charlotte, N.C. provide technology that assistsemployers and financial service providers in automating certain aspectsof the sales process for employee benefits and various financialservices, including certain insurance products. In 2007, AssicurazioniGenerali SpA, a major European insurer, announced the opening of itsGenerali Virtual island in Second Life, staffed with live agents (thoughthis does little more than mimic how insurance is sold today).

Yet an automated solution to this problem is hampered by the inherentcomplexity of these products and their relatively long sales cycles.While attempts have been made to employ artificial intelligence (AI)technology to simulate intelligent agents that can provide automatedresponses to user queries (see, eg, U.S. Pat. No. 7,103,585) or performsales transactions (see, eg, U.S. Pat App No 20010032140), no fullyautomated solutions to selling complex insurance and other financialservice products have yet emerged.

Moreover, as noted above, prospective customers do not trust insurancesalesmen and do not typically initiate the process of searching forinsurance products to purchase. They are often unaware of the need forsuch products and unwilling to take the time to be educated as to whenthey should purchase a particular product. LIMRA (the Life InsuranceMarketing and Research Association) routinely gathers statistics thatillustrate the decline in the purchase of life insurance policies, forexample, citing many of these same reasons and noting that prospectsneed proactive contact to motivate them to purchase policies.

Companies such as Virtuoz of San Francisco, Calif. and Oddcast Inc ofNew York, N.Y. have sought to employ lifelike avatars to appeal tocustomers and provide a more “human” experience during what is otherwisean impersonal automated sales process. Other companies, such as Millionsof Us LLC of Sausalito, Calif. have utilized virtual worlds, onlinegaming and social media as part of immersive brand marketing campaignsdesigned to create brand awareness.

Yet, such technology has not been employed to engage consumersthroughout the entirety of a complex sales and distribution process.What is needed is a system that can attract prospective customers andretain them throughout the various stages of a long and complex salescycle.

SUMMARY

To address the problems discussed above, various embodiments of thepresent invention employ virtual characters that persist across multiplenetwork platforms throughout the various (sometimes overlapping) stagesof a complex transaction. These characters serve initially to engageprospective customers, for example, with a “before and after” vignette,a game or other form of interactive entertainment designed to get acustomer's attention while illustrating more subtly the potentialbenefits of various products and services.

To attract younger adults, such as those aged 18-40 (Generation X andGeneration Y), branded cartoon characters can be shared across a varietyof different network platforms, including viral social networks such asFacebook, MySpace or LinkedIn (for more business-oriented consumers), inaddition to employer worksites, universities, and member-basedorganizations, as well as via email or various websites. The viralnature of social networks, coupled with more traditional online servicessuch as email, enables these characters to proliferate exponentiallyacross multiple network platforms, thereby greatly increasing salesprospects while reducing the costs of customer acquisition.

Combining interactive and engaging forms of entertainment with the viralnature of social networks provides an opportunity for innovativetargeted marketing solutions. In the context of complex transactions,such as those in the insurance and financial services industry, brandedcharacters tell stories based on real-world actuarial and other industrydata to engage customers in personalized interactions that entertain,educate and help them buy products that are appropriate for them. Suchtransactions occur in a low-pressure environment in which customers canmake the decision to purchase a particular product or service when theyare ready. Moreover, cartoon characters acting out a “before and after”scenario in an entertaining context reduce the angst often associatedwith topics such as chronic injuries or life and death.

Even at this early stage of engagement, consumers are, in oneembodiment, afforded the opportunity to customize a game or vignette, orsimply select from among various choices, providing valuable data as toconsumers' preferences. The process of capturing consumer information(individually and in the aggregate) begins early, enabling thedistribution of “leads” to insurers who can then target prospectivecustomers more effectively.

Having engaged prospective customers on one platform (eg, a Facebookpage where consumers encounter a game or vignette forwarded by one oftheir friends), consumers can click on a link that brings them toanother platform (eg, a website), where, in one embodiment, theyencounter some of the same characters that persist into an educationalstage in which they receive information in an interactive fashion. Inthis educational or “lead management” stage, consumers, rather thansimply fill out forms, answer questions as part of a learning module, aquiz or a game, in some cases without realizing that they are learningabout particular products or services that might be relevant to theirpersonal demographic profile.

Longer vignettes include a complete “click-through scenario” (covering,for example, a discrete topic such as long term disability) in whichconsumers interact with some of the same branded characters thatinitially engaged their interest. Over time, consumers gradually becomemore familiar with these characters as they are repurposed, for example,from appearing in an engaging game on a Facebook page to being one of afamily of characters that suffers a serious injury in a longereducational vignette, illustrating how common accidents can occur.

Even these longer vignettes serve to reduce significantly the viscosityof information presented to consumers, by converting otherwise densestatistics into smaller chunks of information (eg, a simple interactivebefore-and-after “accident” scenario) which convey important conceptsthat can readily be understood. In some embodiments, characters can bebadged or otherwise personalized to increase a consumer's empathy withor affection (or lack of affection) for a particular character. Overtime, consumers may come to identify with one or more of thesecharacters.

This interactive process can include a targeted mutual informationexchange, in which consumers are gradually educated regarding theattributes and potential benefits of particular products or services,while providing personal profile information that is used bothindividually and in the aggregate to offer consumers more personalizedservice.

Consumers also can initiate questions to learn more about or clarify thefeatures of a particular product or service. By employing asemi-automated transaction model, many consumer questions can beanswered from predetermined vignettes or automated answers generated byan expert system, and presented to consumers via a virtual agentcharacter. Other questions may require the assistance of a live humanexpert, who can be present “behind the scenes” without the user evenknowing that their question required the assistance of a human. In otherembodiments, a live chat or voice session can be initiated to enablesufficiently direct interactivity between the consumer and one or morelive experts.

In some embodiments, the system translates automated and human responsesto drive the branded characters' audible and visual responses presentedto system users, including textual content, speech patterns and evengestures or body positions. For example, in one embodiment, the systemperforms natural language analysis upon user questions and responses,interprets automated and live expert responses, and then (aided by userinput, customization parameters and domain knowledge) generatesappropriate responses for multiple characters. Some characters providetextual responses, deliver speeches, and exhibit animated gesturesindicating awareness of and reactions to other characters, includingconsumers using the system.

In other embodiments, programmable objects are combined, in accordancewith industry and other knowledge-based rules, to generate charactersand other elements that are rendered to exhibit/simulate particularbehaviors. For example, simple component cartoon objects are combined togenerate a variety of different virtual characters, including men andwomen, children and adults, some of which are members of the same familyand exhibit the results of a particular medical condition or a disablinginjury. Certain characters interact with other objects, such as mobilephones, bicycles or cars, and exhibit risky behaviors such as textingwhile driving. Rules based upon industry or other knowledge correlate aparticular behavior with a likely outcome, such as an accident, in aneffort to illustrate the potential benefits of a product or service,such as a particular insurance policy.

Moreover, these virtual characters and other programmable objects arealso correlated, in one embodiment, with a particular concern of aprospective customer, based upon demographic/profile orpsychographic/behavioral characteristics of that prospective customer.To provide a truly consumer-driven experience, the system of the presentinvention, in addition to simply offering prospective customers aselection of choices, also associates those choices with virtualcharacters and other programmable objects that represent likely concernsof a customer exhibiting a particular demographic or psychographiccharacteristic. For example, because younger users naturally questionthe need for insurance, they are more likely to select the “Why do Ineed insurance?” question, particularly if that question is associatedwith a young virtual cartoon character to which they can relate. Ananimated virtual character is more engaging than a simple textual link.Similarly, a user that has already demonstrated a risk-taking tendency(eg, by previously selecting and repeatedly playing a game or otherapplication involving high-risk behavior) is more likely to seekinformation relating to the consequences of risky behavior (such as thescope of coverage of a disability policy), whereas a more meticulouslycareful individual is more likely to seek detailed information or askquestions of a live agent.

Whatever correlations the rules dictate, the result is that prospectivecustomers are more likely to be engaged by characters to which they canrelate, and which represent associated concerns that they are likely tohave, based at least in part upon their particular demographic orpsychographic characteristics. Moreover, because cartoon charactersmimic the way in which the human mind actually stores information (eg,by exaggerating and simplifying features, and removing extraneous detailthat would be present in more “lifelike” images), they are distinctiveand readily recognizable, and are thus an effective medium forcommunicating relatively complex educational concepts (such asinsurance). For example, when consumers observe a particular charactersustaining various injuries in different types of accidents, they beginto associate that character with the conceptual issue beingaddressed—eg, “Why do I need insurance?”

Over time, consumers build up a level of trust in these recurringcharacters that would not be present in a typical physical (or evenonline) sales scenario, particularly as they obtain information in alow-pressure sales environment. In some embodiments, these cartooncharacters age over time, along with the consumer, and otherwise adaptto a particular environment. In certain embodiments, branded cartooncharacters are employed intentionally to appear less human than more“lifelike” 3D avatars, which can serve to avoid false expectations ofthe degree of intelligence expected even from semi-automated systems.Trust can be lost quickly if too much reliance is placed on lifelikecharacters that are driven solely by artificial intelligence technology,as a character's lack of actual human intelligence can readily becomeapparent.

A recurring semi-automated virtual agent can thus become a “trustedadvisor” that educates consumers over time, improving consumer awarenessand understanding of the products and services offered by one or moreproviders. This virtual agent character can play an active role,initiating interactions with consumers to present a pre-packagedvignette designed to educate them, as well as an interactive role, inwhich consumers can ask and obtain answers to specific questions andengage in a dialogue initiated at times by consumers as well as by theirtrusted virtual agents. Moreover, the system itself can be reactive, inthat it can respond immediately to interruptions, such as a consumerelecting to leave one vignette for another (eg, to learn about adifferent product), or to leave the system entirely and return atanother time without losing their place (and all related stateinformation). Finally, the system of the present invention can beproactive, in that consumers' needs can be anticipated, with appropriatevignettes and related information being provided in a personalizedfashion based upon individual and aggregate consumer profile data aswell as previous interactions with the system.

This process can in essence become a long-term relationship with acustomer over a lifetime, in which multiple products or services arepurchased over time. Moreover, one or more trusted advisors as well asother associated characters can persist throughout this long process orrelationship.

In one embodiment, the system of the present invention maintains, inindustry-specific knowledge bases (employing well-known databasetechniques), a large array of information relating to products andservices offered by multiple companies that changes over time, as wellas personal demographic and profile information relating to largenumbers of consumers that is also acquired and changes over time.Well-known expert system and artificial intelligence techniques are alsoemployed to facilitate the interactive nature of the system, coupledwith (sometimes transparent) live text chat, as well as other media(including speech, animation and video among others).

Captured data is used in a myriad of ways, including development andrefinement of new products and services by affiliated providers andpartners. Moreover, such data includes not only purchasing trends, butother behavioral statistics as well (such as the frequency with whichparticular scenarios are viewed, correlated against consumer profiles),collected at various stages of the process. In one embodiment, thesystem “feeds back” such behavioral habits to prospective customers inthe middle of a vignette, indicating, for example, that “82% of thepeople viewing this particular product were in your age group, and 28%of those purchased some form of coverage.” The success of a particulareducational vignette can also be measured statistically over time,providing valuable information that can be used to refine the system.

In addition, to create “bonded loyalty,” the system, in one embodiment,offers related products and services, as well as incentives, advertisingand various other promotions. Discounts and other incentives are offeredto consumers throughout the process not only to promote the purchase ofcore or affiliated products and services, but also to encouragecontinued participation in the various stages of the process.

For example, in one embodiment, consumers develop and customize theirown episodes or vignettes, by selecting characters, plots and settings.These custom vignettes, as well as consumers' answers to quiz questions,are rated and published widely, such that consumers earn points andother prizes (eg, “T-Nodes”) for highly rated answers and achievevarious levels of expertise. These and other incentives are offered asconsumers work their way through vignettes.

T-Nodes are, in one embodiment, a form of electronic currency that usersearn as an incentive for progressing through a game, a learning module,an episode, vignette or other system experience. Such activitiesgenerate a wealth of data that providers use for further targetedpromotions, as well as to refine their portfolio of products andservices. Users are authenticated (eg, via a simple user name andpassword in one embodiment), and can leave the system at virtually anytime and resume where they left off with their associated profile,behavioral and other information (including their T-Node balance)intact.

Consumers can redeem T-Nodes for merchandise or discounts on core oraffiliated products (such as a discount on an insurance policy or amobile phone), as well as for real currency (eg, to be applied to open achecking or savings account). The system stores and regularly displaysconsumers' T-Node balances, thereby encouraging them to progress throughthe educational process (earning additional T-Nodes) and become informedconsumers who are more likely to be “ready to buy” appropriate productsand services over time.

At various stages throughout the process or relationship, consumers areafforded the opportunity to purchase particular goods or services. Insome embodiments, consumers can elect to enter this transactional stageof the process on their own initiative, though they may first seek toask questions or obtain additional information before deeming themselvesready to transact. During this transactional stage, product or serviceoffers are presented, enrollment information is captured, and events(eg, blood tests) are scheduled, while the dialogue and mutual exchangeof information continues. In addition, the system integrates suchinformation with providers' back-end systems and performs audit checksand other “behind the scenes” functions.

In certain embodiments, these transactional opportunities are limited toscenarios in which the system deems consumers to be “ready” to purchasea particular product or service. For example, are they sufficientlyeducated to make a particular decision, have they completed thenecessary prerequisites (such as a blood test), and are they a goodmatch to benefit from this decision? Rather than employ a “hard sell”approach, which has proven ineffective for such complex transactions,the system of the current invention filters out consumers for which suchtransactions may not be appropriate at a given time, thereby maximizingconsumer loyalty and trust from which providers will ultimately derivegreater benefit over the long term.

Even after completing a transaction (eg, purchasing a particularinsurance policy or enrolling in a particular benefits plan), acustomer's relationship with the system does not end. The system merelyproceeds to another stage of the relationship in which it services theneeds of customers over time. Certain embodiments of the system, forexample, alert customers to the availability of a new or better productor service, perhaps due to a customer reaching a particular age andbecoming more likely to purchase such product or service. The systemenables the “cross sell” of other products and services (eg, from adifferent provider or a partner, such as an employer or advertiser), eg,based upon collaborative filtering algorithms applied to aggregateconsumer data.

Existing marketing channels can also be expanded. For example, in oneembodiment, when the system becomes aware that an employee has changedjobs (eg, due to termination from the prior employer's health plan), italerts the employee (eg, via email or a desktop widget) of additionalopportunities, such as another health plan from a different provider,even if the new employer is not affiliated with the system.

By employing persistent branded characters to maintain customerrelationships, the system, in one embodiment, learns of particularevents (eg, marriage, change of employment, birth of a child, etc) thatrender a specific product or service of particular relevance. Suchalerts, including offers of financial planning advice, discounts andother incentives, and targeted advertisements, are delivered in a myriadof different ways, including email, mobile phone text messages, or evenvia a widget on the user's computer desktop. General-purpose alerts arebroadcast widely, while others are distributed within more limited andtargeted domains (based, for example, upon aggregate data or aparticular consumer's personal profile or behavioral information).

In one embodiment, timeline-based vignettes (based on actuarial or otherindustry data) are triggered at various stages of a consumers' life.Such vignettes are delivered via a desktop widget, alerting consumersand their families to appropriate products based upon their age, as wellas specific events in their lives. Such a life-planning tool illustratesthe need for certain products and services at particularly relevanttimes.

In another embodiment, geographically-based vignettes are distributed ina similar manner to consumers based in particular geographic regions, towhich targeted products and services are applicable. A trusted agent,for example, recommends different products to different consumers basedupon their geographic location. Certain products might only be availablein specific geographic regions, while others may be more cost effectivein particular geographic regions due to the likelihood of certainevents, such as earthquakes or hurricanes.

As noted above, these various stages of a complex transaction, and ofthe relationship between a provider and consumer (eg, engagement,educational, transactional and service, in one embodiment) can overlap.At any given time, and even with respect to a particular product orservice, a consumer can be in multiple different stages of the processof this complex sales cycle.

The providers of such products and services benefit from the scalabilityof the system in that fewer agents, brokers, experts and other humanscan leverage more products and services (requiring greater expertise)among larger numbers of consumers. The cost of customer acquisition canbe greatly reduced as providers monetize knowledge about consumersacross all aspects of a long-term relationship. Microsegmentation ismade possible by leveraging expertise within a single character ortrusted advisor that would otherwise (or still might “behind thescenes”) require multiple live human experts.

Moreover, the branded characters are portable across different platforms(such as via email or viral social networks), enabling live human agentsto increase their sales volume exponentially, resulting in a far broaderreach than any human agent could attain using existing marketingapproaches. A viral social network, for example, serves as a highlyeffective referral network, further promoting brand affinity. Consumersrecommend popular vignettes to their friends, while trusted advisors(virtual agent characters) also appear on such social networks torecommend a particular episode or vignette to a selected group ofprospective customers (eg, based on aggregate data and collaborativefiltering techniques).

These features enable the system to reach new markets and to enhance thecross-selling of existing products and services among differentproviders and others in the distribution chain. For example, a companycan leverage a social network such as LinkedIn to offer a core healthplan to its employees, while multiple other providers can leverage thesystem to offer those employees additional optional benefits.

As these characters become trusted advisors and familiar “familyfriends,” retention rates among providers also increase dramatically,particularly among those that utilize the system to service theirclients and maintain long-term relationships. Moreover, to the extentthe system employs automated agents and associated characters, thesystem improves compliance, as consistency of information is enhancedand the likelihood of misinformation decreases. In one embodiment, thesystem maintains audit trails, detailing when particular information isdisclosed to particular users, which enables the system to control andmore easily distribute relevant information (including changes inregulations) to prospective and existing customers.

Consumers benefit as their awareness of products and services improvesand they are better able to make appropriate purchases when they areready. Instead of seeking to avoid high-pressure insurance salesmen,they are engaged and entertained in a fun, interactive and personalizedexperience with trusted advisors with whom they can form long-termrelationships.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Following is a brief description of the drawings that illustrate variousembodiments of the present invention and which are described in greaterdetail below:

FIG. 1 a illustrates an embodiment of an interpretive engine that drivesthe user interface of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 1 b illustrates an embodiment of programmable objects that thesystem combines to generate virtual characters and other elements thatare rendered to exhibit/simulate particular behaviors;

FIG. 1 c illustrates how the system, in one embodiment, generatesvirtual characters and other objects, and simulates their behaviors andinteractions, in accordance with knowledge-based rules;

FIG. 1 d illustrates how the system, in one embodiment, correlatesvirtual characters and other programmable objects with likely concernsof prospective customers, based in part upon their demographic andpsychographic characteristics;

FIG. 2 illustrates how prospective customers interact with oneembodiment of the system and develop trust in the system and its brandedcharacters over time;

FIG. 3 is an architectural embodiment of the system functionality thatillustrates how key system players interact with one another overvarious network platforms;

FIG. 4 a is a block diagram of an embodiment of key architecturalcomponents of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 4 b is a block diagram of an embodiment of key architecturalcomponents of the system of the present invention mapped against variousstages of a complex transaction;

FIG. 5 is a hybrid flowchart/state machine diagram of an embodiment ofkey stages of a complex transaction, that illustrates how users of thesystem transition among these stages.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of an engagement stage of a complextransaction in the context of the system of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates how a branded cartoon character “sales agent,” in oneembodiment, is introduced to and subsequently interacts with prospectivecustomers over time;

FIG. 8 illustrates how branded cartoon characters, in one embodiment,continue to engage prospective customers and build trust over timeregarding otherwise “dry” and complex subjects such as sellinginsurance;

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of the portability and viraldistribution of the branded characters and related components of thepresent invention across various platforms;

FIG. 10 illustrates how branded characters, in one embodiment, persistand are repurposed across various stages of a complex transaction;

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of the interactive process of thepresent invention as a prospective customer is introduced to a salesagent and other branded cartoon characters, and transitions from anengagement to an educational stage of a complex transaction;

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram that illustrates an embodiment of theinteractive process of a vignette in the educational stage of a complextransaction;

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a data entry portion of atransactional stage of a complex transaction;

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of an enrollment portion of atransactional stage of a complex transaction;

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of a desktop widget that enables abranded cartoon character sales agent to persist across multipleplatforms into a service stage of a complex transaction;

FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment of various additional services thatthe system provides in the service stage (among other stages) of acomplex transaction;

FIG. 17 illustrates how, in one embodiment, user-created contentcontinues to keep consumers engaged throughout the various stages of acomplex transaction;

FIG. 18 illustrates an embodiment of a “timeline navigator” thatportrays potential events (and solutions) that occur over time, basedupon actuarial, demographic and other data;

FIG. 19 illustrates an embodiment of a “geographic navigator” thatportrays potential events (and solutions) that occur across differentgeographic regions, based upon regional, demographic and other data;

FIG. 20 illustrates an embodiment of prospective consumers' transitionsamong various stages of a complex transaction; and

FIGS. 21 a-21 ii illustrate an embodiment of an interactive scenario inwhich a prospective customer interacts with a virtual sales agent andother branded cartoon characters in the context of a “long termdisability” learning module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing the system architecture of the present invention, itis important to emphasize, as noted above, the semi-automated nature ofthe system as well as the use of branded cartoon characters, as opposedto more “lifelike” 3D avatars and other virtual characters. Keepingusers engaged throughout the various stages of a complex transaction isa non-trivial task. If users' expectations are raised too high, they caneasily become disillusioned when reality strikes. For example, if avirtual sales agent appears “human,” but answers a user's questions withoverly simplistic canned responses, the user may well lose whatevertrust was previously established.

FIG. 1 a illustrates an embodiment of interpretive engine 100, whichmanages the interaction between users and the system, as represented byvirtual sales agents and other branded cartoon characters. For example,during an interaction 110 with a virtual sales agent or othercharacters, users might pose questions, some of which can be answered byan automated engine, such as real-time AI engine 120 (based on domainknowledge, user input, etc), but others of which might require theassistance of a live human expert or agent 130. In one embodiment, usersalso encounter these characters via predefined episodes, vignettes andlearning modules 140, in which the characters' appearance, dialogue orother characteristics can be personalized utilizing AI engine 120.

Regardless of the scenario, the responses generated by AI engine 120 orlive agent 130 are interpreted by interpreter 100 to drive thecharacters' animation, gestures, textual or spoken dialogue and otherforms of presentation to the user. In this embodiment, interpreter 100also interprets users' questions, responses and other input, as well asother aspects of the system's user interface. The result is a form of“one-stop shopping” in which users encounter a familiar interface whichthey come to trust over time, as they watch a myriad of “bad thingshappen” to the same family of characters and seek and receive advicefrom the same virtual sales agent. The phrases “Bad Things Happen” and“Bad Things Can Happen” are trademarks of TrustNode, Inc., and are usedinterchangeably throughout this document.

In one embodiment, virtual cartoon characters are generated from corecomponents, such as component objects 150 illustrated in FIG. 1 b.Complete virtual characters 155 are generated by assembling componentobjects 150 into various different arrangements. In addition to thevirtual characters themselves, other objects (eg, cars, bicycles, mobilephones, etc) are also generated from these component objects 150. Byutilizing particular common component objects 150, the resulting virtualcharacters 155 and other objects, in one embodiment, bear a “familyresemblance.”

In addition to generating and rendering the appearance of these virtualcartoon characters and other objects, one embodiment of the system alsocauses such objects, including their component parts, to exhibit orsimulate various behaviors. A component “parts library” 160, illustratedin FIG. 1 c, includes various “programmable objects” that are combinednot only to generate the appearance of a more complex object (such as avirtual cartoon character or automobile), but also to associateparticular behaviors with one or more other component parts (eg, partsof a virtual character or other object) from parts library 160.Resulting object 165, for example, is a virtual character exhibiting adistinct appearance while riding a bicycle. When that character isriding that bicycle, various components of the character and the bicycleare exhibiting particular behaviors, such as the character's legs movingin particular directions, the wheels of the bicycle turning clockwise,and the entire character and bicycle progressing along a particularpath.

The resulting behaviors of the virtual characters and other objects canbe quite complex, despite being assembled from relatively simplecomponent parts. Yet, the virtual characters and other objects are stillrecognizable even when exhibiting simpler behaviors or no behavior atall (eg, a still image of a character's head which still retains adistinct appearance).

Moreover, the interactions among the virtual characters and otherobjects also affect their behavior, as well as their appearance. Forexample, a character could be texting on his mobile phone while ridinghis bicycle, which would increase the likelihood of his being hit by acar, after which he could appear bandaged in a hospital bed. Theseinteractions are, in one embodiment, determined based upon a set ofrules that dictate the likelihood that certain events will occur, andthe consequences resulting therefrom. Such rules rely upon industrydata, such as statistics regarding the likelihood of certain behaviorsresulting in particular consequences (eg, the likelihood that smoking Npacks of cigarettes per day will lead to lung cancer by a particularage).

In another embodiment, these rules correlate the appearance and behaviorof particular virtual characters or other objects with likely concernsof prospective customers, based upon their demographic or psychographiccharacteristics. For example, prospective customers, after havinginquired about a particular insurance product (or insurance generally),could encounter slide 170, illustrated in FIG. 1 d, in which they arefaced with a series of alternative choices relating to their insuranceneeds.

While any consumer-driven system might offer prospective customersmultiple choices to address their particular concerns, it should benoted that the choices presented in FIG. 1 d are associated withparticular virtual characters exhibiting particular behaviors. Moreover,the appearance and behavior of such characters, and the associatedconcerns they represent, are designed to relate to particularprospective customers—eg, those exhibiting particular demographic orpsychographic characteristics.

For example, industry data indicates that younger consumers are likelyto question the need for insurance. If a particular prospective customersuggests such a concern during a prior interaction with the system (eg,by identifying a relatively risky profession in response to a priorquestion, such information is utilized, in one embodiment, to dictatethe appearance (as well as the setting and animated behavior) of acorresponding virtual character. A young male is more likely to relateto character 172, which, in another embodiment, dictates its placementas the first choice (ie, one representing the concern that such aprospective customer would most likely have). Another prospectivecustomer whose demographic profile (or prior behavior in interactingwith the system) indicates a greater likelihood of wanting moreinformation, would be more likely to select virtual character 174, theselection of which links to an interactive learning module designed toaddress such concerns. Still other (perhaps more impulsive) prospectivecustomers may already be “ready to enroll” and select virtual character176.

In this manner, prospective customers are not only provided withconsumer-driven choices (such as obtaining additional information,speaking with a live expert or completing a transaction) at virtuallyany point in the process, but they are also “guided” by the systemtoward addressing those particular concerns, as suggested by theirdemographic profiles and psychographic behavior. As a result of thismore targeted and personalized experience, such prospective customersare more likely to be sufficiently educated and “ready to buy” at theappropriate time, as opposed to being turned off by and rejecting anoverly aggressive hard-sell approach.

As noted above, these characters persist throughout the various stagesof a complex transaction, as illustrated by the “relationship continuum”200 shown in FIG. 2. in one embodiment, a prospective customer initiallyencounters one or more engaging games or other applications 210 on asocial network, such as Facebook. During this engagement or “demandgeneration” stage 215, the prospective customer first encounters thesebranded cartoon characters in an unfamiliar context. At this early stageof engagement, as illustrated by “Engagement axis” 202, relativelylittle familiarity or trust has been established with these characters,as illustrated by “Trust axis” 204. It takes time for this relationshipto develop via subsequent interaction. At this stage, the customer is ofrelatively little economic value to a product or service provider, asillustrated by “Economic Value axis” 206, as, in this embodiment, noproducts or services have even been disclosed, much less purchased.

Over the course of time, however, “social distribution” 208 effectschange along all of these axes. For example, a particular one of thesegames or applications 210 might become popular and be distributed toother prospective customers virally over the social network. If anotherprospective customer who encounters this popular game or application 220plays it multiple times to advance to higher levels, that prospectivecustomer would become more familiar with the characters, and attaininformation regarding certain products or services offered by one ormore providers. In other words, that prospective customer would alreadyhave transitioned to an education or “lead management” stage 225.

In addition to providing users with basic information regarding productsor services, application 220 includes, in one embodiment, links to awebsite where additional information can be obtained. This website isanother network platform on which the system can guide prospectivecustomers further along in the process of a complex transaction. Suchcustomers constitute relatively promising leads as they already haveexpressed interest and become partially educated with respect to aprovider's products or services. In other words, they have moved alongall three axes, having become more engaged (axis 202), more familiarwith and thus trusting of the branded characters (axis 204), andtherefore of greater potential economic value (axis 206) to a provider.

At this point, prospective customers become immersed in the personalworkflow 230 of the system, encountering educational episodes, vignettesand learning modules relating to particular types of products andservices, asking questions and being prompted to provide personalinformation relevant to such products and services. As noted above, inone embodiment, this process involves multiple sessions during which theuser is in control, stopping and restarting hours, days or even weekslater (or longer). During this transactional or “transaction support”stage 235, certain prospective customers eventually become actualcustomers as they gain sufficient product and industry knowledge andtrust in their virtual agent to reach the point of being “ready to buy”particular products or services.

As will be discussed in greater detail below, even after completing atransaction, the relationship between the customer and the system(including the virtual agent) does not end. This trusting relationship240 continues over time, as the customer enters a service or “planningand advice” stage 245 in which either the system or the customer promptsthe other with alerts, additional information and various offers ofproducts and services that become relevant to the customer due to achange in circumstance (eg, getting married or having children) orsimply the passage of time. As will be discussed below, there are amyriad of ways in which the system can become aware of such changes incircumstances, including periodic prompts of the customer forpotentially relevant information over time.

As time passes, and this relationship deepens, customers become moreengaged with the system and the branded characters (axis 202), if onlydue to the nature of the interaction, wholly apart from its frequency.Customers develop even greater trust in the virtual agent and family ofcharacters (axis 204), and thus become of greater economic value (axis206) to providers, as they purchase additional products and servicesacross various product lines (and multiple providers), and recommendtheir “trusted advisor” to other prospective customers.

System Architecture

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a high-level architecture of thepresent invention. System servers 300 are preferably connected to theInternet 310 via one or more routers, such as router 305. One or moreproviders 320 offer products and services via system servers 300, andare also connected to the Internet 300 via routers 305. One or moreusers 330 are also connected to the Internet 300 via routers 305, and toother network platforms 340, such as social networks or worksite oruniversity LANs.

Users 330 access system servers 300 via desktop computers 350 a, laptops350 b, mobile phones 350 c or other hardware devices. Similarly, systemservers 300 include various hardware devices, such as desktop computers350 a, dedicated servers (not shown), as well as various other devices.

Regardless of which types of devices users 330 employ, they connect tosystem servers 300 in various ways. For example, they can connect“directly” to a website hosted by one or more system servers 300, orindirectly via various other network platforms 340, such as a socialnetwork hosting a game or other application designed to engage users, ora worksite, university or other organization hosting educationalvignettes or other system functionality.

Key System Modules

One embodiment of key modules of the system 400 of the present inventionis illustrated in FIG. 4 a. These modules are conceptually divided intothree categories: (i) front-end modules 410 that interface withcustomers or end users of system 400; (ii) client modules 430 thatinterface with providers of products and services offered via system400; and (iii) back-end modules 420 that manage and generate learningmodules and other system data and provide an interface between thefront-end 410 and client 430 modules.

Front-end modules 410 include an engagement layer 412 that generatesdynamically a variety of engaging applications and components that arepresented on a standalone basis as well as integrated into learningmodules and other system elements. For example, engagement layer 412generates and deploys engaging games or other applications on a socialnetwork such as Facebook. In addition, it generates (and, in oneembodiment, enables users to generate) a “bad things happen” episodethat is part of an educational vignette or learning module.

To facilitate the generation of these engaging elements, engagementlayer 412 relies on real-time engagement and exploration frameworks 414,which, for example, provide business rules that constrain the contentgenerated by engagement layer 412. For example, particular types ofaccidents are included or excluded from an engaging episode based uponwhether particular insurance policies cover those types of accidents.Moreover, real-time engagement and exploration frameworks 414 alsoinclude various activities and rewards that keep users engaged not onlyinitially but over time during educational and other stages. Forexample, T-Nodes are offered as an incentive for a user to play aparticular game or test an application, such as a quiz or survey. “Fun”elements are integrated into such activities to supplement theincentives as a way of keeping users engaged with system 400.

Back-end modules 420 include, in one embodiment, an authoring engine 422that enables the dynamic generation of learning modules and other systemcomponents in conjunction with dynamic education engine 424, whichimposes business rules based on domain knowledge relating to particularclasses of products and services (eg, long-term disability insurance).These modules rely upon various databases (data warehouse and data martsmodule 426) that include a wide variety of information such as domainand industry data, individual and aggregate user profile and demographicdata, real-time behavioral data based on the activities of users andproviders, and other related data.

Client modules 430 provide the interface, via corporate and 3rd-partyplatforms module 432, to the various systems maintained by the providerswho offer products and services via system 400. Various standards aresupported for exchanging data relating to user behavior, transactions,etc. In addition, providers submit data summarizing their products andservices, as well as branding and other marketing data.

Relationship between System Modules and Stages of Complex Transactions

Turning to FIG. 4 b, many of the same key modules illustrated in FIG. 4a can be examined via a different architectural slice. In particular,key modules of system 400 can be categorized via the primary stages of acomplex transaction, including an engagement stage 440,educational/exploration stage 450, transactional stage 460 and accountservices stage 470.

For example, prospective customers might first encounter system 400during early engagement 440 and educational 450 stages via a socialnetwork 445 or other network platform (such as their worksite, school,etc). Engagement tools and social apps 442 enable social network 445 todeliver engaging games, applications, “bad things happen” episodes,etc—generated based upon underlying engagement framework 444.

Similarly, prospective customers explore areas of interest and encountereducational information (sometimes even before they become aware ofparticular system providers and the products and services they offer)via exploration sites 452—generated based upon exploration framework454. In one embodiment, such sites provide standalone educationalinformation, as well as information that is integrated into fun andengaging applications. For example, in one embodiment, simplestatistical data is displayed (in textual and/or graphic form), and isalso more subtly integrated into a game or episode that illustrates thesame concept.

In any event, engagement framework 444 and exploration framework 454both rely upon dynamic education engine 446 to impose (in real time, inone embodiment) business rules based on domain knowledge relating toparticular classes of products and services offered by system providers.Dynamic education engine 446 in turn relies upon databases in datawarehouse 455 for a two-way exchange of data, including domain andindustry data, individual and aggregate user profile and demographicdata, real-time behavioral data based on the activities of users andproviders, and other related data.

As prospective customers progress through engagement 440 andexplorational/educational 450 stages of a complex transaction, someeventually reach a transactional 460 stage in which they can purchaseparticular products and services, such as enrolling in a particularinsurance plan. To traverse this enrollment process, prospectivecustomers, in one embodiment, are required to complete an underwritingprocess, implemented via underwriting module 461, as well as obtainquotes (via quote module 462) and complete various other processingsteps, implemented via app processing module 463.

These modules all rely on messaging layer 465 to implement the dialoguebetween system 400 and prospective customers, including for examplequestions seeking additional information necessary to the underwritingprocess. As noted above, system 400 provides additional account servicesto existing customers over time, such as those provided by web module471, which, in one embodiment, implements a desktop widget (illustratedin FIG. 15 below) to provide periodic notifications to customers, aswell as enable customers access to various other system services.

Such services are structured in accordance with a provider's particularprocedures for administering their insurance and related financialpolicies (eg, via policy admin module 472) as well as their more genericprocedures regarding their sales, marketing and other “customerrelationship management” efforts (eg, via CRM module 473). Thesepolicies affect the form and type of information obtained from customersas well as the particular plans and other services offered to customers.Modules 472 and 473 also rely upon messaging layer 465 to implement thisdialogue between system 400 and customers.

Validation & confirmation module 464 enables information obtained fromcustomers to be confirmed and validated against general industrypolicies as well as the policies of a particular provider with whom acustomer is contemplating a transaction. For example, a customer's age,medical history or results of a blood test might disqualify thatcustomer from obtaining a particular insurance policy, or affect theamount of that customer's premium. In one embodiment, module 464confirms that all such information complies with the various constraintsof a provider's product or service before allowing a transaction toproceed to completion.

Suggestion engine 474 enables system 400 (and individual providers) toalert existing customers to various offers, including modifications toexisting products and services, offers of new or related products andservices, as well as ancillary offers from third parties. Moreover,suggestion engine 474 recommends to customers information that may notbe tied to any particular product or service, such as a “bad thingshappen” episode, a learning module of system 400, or simply a link toinformation that may be of interest to an existing customer based upontheir individual or aggregate demographic, profile and behavioralinformation.

In one embodiment, details of all transactions between customers andproviders (as well as any affiliated third-party vendors) is capturedand maintained via transaction history module 466 and stored in variousdatabases (data warehouse 455). Modules 466 and 455 support a two-wayexchange of data, including domain and industry data, individual andaggregate user profile and demographic data, real-time behavioral databased on the activities of users and providers, and other related data.

Complex Transaction Process

To appreciate the value of the system, including the persistence of avirtual agent and other branded characters across the various stages ofa complex transaction, as well as across multiple platforms, it ishelpful to examine this process in the context of a particular industry,such as insurance and financial services. Note, however, that thepresent invention is applicable to a wide range of industries, andextends beyond the sales and distribution of products and services.Moreover, it should be emphasized that the various stages of complextransactions may well overlap with one another as users of the systemencounter branded characters across multiple platforms in a variety ofdifferent contexts and scenarios.

In a representative embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 5 and discussed ingreater detail below, these complex transactions comprise four majorstages (engagement 510, educational 520, transactional 530 and service540). It should be noted that various different stages and types ofstages could be implemented, and that certain individual customers maywell engage in multiple transactions over the course of time during whatis comprehensively referred to herein as a complex transaction.

A prospective customer is introduced to the system of the presentinvention on any of various different network platforms. For example, inone embodiment, consumers “start” 505 their involvement with the systemby receiving a game or application from a friend via a social network,such as Facebook. In another embodiment, consumers encounter anapplication on their employer's worksite network, eg during anintroduction to their employer-provided insurance benefits. Afterplaying that game or application, and encountering one or more of thesystem's virtual characters, those consumers who become engaged in thesystem (eg, as a result of one or more attractive elements 512) enterengagement stage 510.

The attraction or engagement elements take a variety of forms, frominterest in a character to interest in the features of a game orapplication, or even interest in the underlying subject matter, such asa particular type of insurance. In one embodiment, incentives areprovided to encourage users to continue their participation in thesystem. For example, the system awards points (redeemable formerchandise or discounts on various products or services) for playing agame, taking a quiz or clicking a link that invokes an educationalvignette or other experience.

At various points in the process, the system provides learningopportunities which, if selected by a prospective customer, result in atransition (illustrated by link 515) from engagement stage 510 toeducational stage 520. It should be noted that such transitions amongstages are, in one embodiment, “linear”—eg, from engagement stage 510 toeducational stage 520 via link 515, and then to transactional stage 530via link 525, and finally to service stage 540 via link 535. in otherembodiments, however, users transition from one stage to any other stage(as illustrated by bidirectional links 508), based upon their selectionof the appropriate links or other transition opportunities, which arepresented, in part, based upon users' prior interactions with thesystem. Moreover, users can be in multiple stages at any given point intime. Subject to the system providing transition opportunities, usersare in control of their destiny. In one embodiment, they can stop at anypoint in the process and return where they left off at a later time, andinterrupt their progress to ask a question or transition to any otherstage in the process.

For example, in one embodiment, prospective customers, regardless oftheir particular stage in the process, encounter an incentive 512, suchas a discount on a mobile phone, associated with selection of aparticular link. Selection of incentive 512 results in the user'stransition to engagement stage 510. Yet, if the link relates to aneducational opportunity 522, such as a learning module or even theopportunity to ask a question about a particular insurance product, theuser also transitions to educational stage 520. The system effectivelydeems the user “ready to learn” by providing such educationalopportunities 522. In one embodiment, this occurs as a result of thecompletion of a game or other engaging application, or even anotherlearning module.

By tracking the progress of prospective customers, the system eventuallydeems a customer “ready to buy,” for example, after completing certainlearning modules. At that point, the system provides the prospectivecustomer with a transactional opportunity 532, such as a link to enrollin a particular insurance plan. Yet, in another embodiment, the systemprovides such a link at various other points in the process, effectivelyenabling prospective customers to determine that they are “ready to buy”on their own initiative (even before the system deems them ready). Ineither case, a customer's selection of the link results in theirtransition to transactional stage 530, where they can complete theenrollment process and/or purchase a particular product or service. Asnoted above, the customer remains in control, and can also transition tovarious other stages (assuming a transitional opportunity is available),eg, by accepting an incentive to play a game, complete another learningmodule or simply ask a question.

In one embodiment, even after a customer completes one or moretransactions, the system provides that customer with various serviceopportunities 542, in an effort to keep the customer engaged in thesystem, which results in a transition to service stage 540, which inturn can result in subsequent transactions or referrals of othercustomers. Should the customer's circumstances change (eg, due to age, achange in employment, a move to a different state, etc), the systemalerts the customer of the availability of a product or service that hasbecome relevant as a result of such change in circumstances. Inaddition, the customer can invoke the system to ask a question, eg,relating to the prospect of such a change. By remaining available (eg,via a widget or other application on the user's desktop), the systemkeeps the user engaged, and aware of relevant opportunities, yet stillin control and not turned off by a more invasive “hard sell” approach.

It should also be noted that, in different embodiments, thefunctionality of any of these stages can be implemented for remoteexecution on one or more centralized servers or distributed among clientcomputers for local execution.

Engagement Stage

FIG. 6 illustrates how one embodiment of the system initially engagesprospective customers. For example, a prospective customer who is amember of a social network could receive a message from a friend with alink to a simple application such as the “Avoid the Cop” game 600. Inone embodiment, this application is integrated into the social network(eg, Facebook), while in another embodiment it is invoked via a link toa web page. Regardless of the platform or the manner in which aprospective customer first encounters game 600, the intent is one of funand engagement.

Upon playing game 600, a user first encounters and begins to becomeacquainted with one or more of the branded characters, such as Carl 602,who employs various strategies to “avoid the cop” (eg, while texting)based upon the user's interactions. Perhaps without realizing it, theuser also becomes the subject of a subtle marketing campaign. Forexample, the user of game 600 experiences (voluntarily and repeatedly)being “out of control,” regardless of whether the user is more riskaverse in real life. Game 600 can be considered somewhat self selectingin that it might appeal to users who are curious about “out of control”behavior and thus might be more likely candidates for insurance.

Moreover, this experience becomes relevant later when the user isintroduced to information relating to insurance products and services.In one embodiment, game 600 itself includes such information. In anotherembodiment, it includes a link 604 to a website or other networkplatform where prospective customers obtain further information, if onlyout of curiosity (as opposed to an intent, for example, to purchaseinsurance). Game 600 is intended to be fun and engaging, in aninteractive and easily approachable manner—a form of escapism thatcaptivates a user's attention and only subtly provides “teasereducation” designed to encourage prospective customers to take the nextstep (as compared to the typical “hard sell” approach of a liveinsurance agent).

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of this next step, as prospectiveconsumers transition from an engagement to an educational stage—aneducational vignette designed to provide prospective customers withadditional information regarding products or services of interest (eg,long-term disability insurance relating to a game the user just played).Before launching into the process of educating the prospective customer,the system (in this embodiment) first introduces the customer, as shownin slide 720, to a virtual agent 710 (“Harvey Keck”) who will become notonly another character with whom the customer becomes familiar overtime, but also a trusted agent the customer relies upon to guide thecustomer through a long and complex sales process.

Although a transition from an engagement to an educational stage hasoccurred, the system continues to engage prospective and actualcustomers throughout this long process. To enable customers to besufficiently educated to purchase appropriate products and services whenthey are “ready,” the system proactively engages them, and remainsavailable when customers seek advice or information on their owninitiative. Customers build up trust in virtual agent 710 over time asHarvey assists them, as illustrated in slide 730, in navigating theirway through this process and exchanging information. In essence, usersengage in a dialogue with the system (in particular, with agent 710),much as they would with a live sales agent. Yet, customers have greatercontrol over their interaction with Harvey, as they can respond at theirown pace, select their own navigational paths and even leave the systemaltogether and return to the same or another point in the processwhenever they desire.

Moreover, virtual agent 710 performs the role of providing relevantinformation in an informal and less intrusive manner, as illustrated inslide 740, as well as obtaining necessary information gradually overtime. For example, a customer might initially be asked for a smallamount of identifying information (name, age, etc), with additionalinformation collected over time when it becomes more relevant, such as acomplete address which might not be needed until a customer expresses adesire to enroll in a particular program.

As noted above and illustrated in FIG. 8, complex transactions, such asthe selling of insurance products and services 810 (disability,long-term care, life insurance, etc), present a number of obstaclesbeyond simple price and feature comparisons. For example, customers arenaturally anxious when faced with the prospect of insuring againstpotentially disastrous events such as car accidents that can result inthe loss of life and limb, as well as temporary and permanentdisabilities (not to mention the financial impact of such events). Theuse of branded cartoon characters lessens that anxiety, particularly ascustomers become familiar with such characters over time and see themcycle through periods of injury and recovery.

Moreover, by avoiding lifelike 3D avatars, the branded characters, suchas virtual agent Harvey Keck, illustrated in slide 820, do not set falseexpectations regarding the intelligence of a virtual agent, ascontrasted with a live human agent. This becomes important as customerstransition back and forth between virtual and live human agents atvarious points in the sales cycle. Finally, given the dryness andcomplexity of insurance products generally, these branded cartooncharacters are more likely than a typical live insurance agent to keepcustomers engaged over time.

As noted above, Harvey plays a variety of roles that demonstrate evengreater versatility than would a typical live insurance agent. in oneembodiment, Harvey actively initiates a predefined educational vignette,and interactively asks and responds to questions, effectively engagingin a dialogue with consumers. Harvey reacts to a user's request totraverse a different path, provides access to a live human agent (eg, todiscuss particularly complex issues) and allows users to leave thesystem altogether at virtually any time, while enabling users to returnat another time to the same or a different point in the process with allrelevant state information intact. Harvey also proactively providesunsolicited advice and anticipate a consumer's needs in a personalizedfashion, based upon individual and aggregate consumer profile data aswell as previous interactions with the system.

Virtual agents and other branded characters, in one embodimentillustrated in FIG. 9, persist and are portable across various networkplatforms, including viral social networks such as Facebook, MySpace orLinkedIn (for more business-oriented consumers), in addition to employerworksites, universities, and member-based organizations, as well asemail and various websites. As noted above, the viral nature of socialnetworks, coupled with more traditional online services such as email,enables these characters to proliferate exponentially across multiplenetwork platforms, thereby greatly increasing sales prospects whilereducing the costs of customer acquisition.

Consumers encounter “Bad Things Happen” episodes as part of a game orother application on a social network, as well as while traversing aneducational vignette providing detailed information about long-termdisability insurance via a website or local worksite network. Regardlessof the context, or particular network platform, the system continues tokeep users engaged, and exploits the viral nature of certain platforms,by providing users (in one embodiment) with an opportunity to rate theseepisodes and recommend and share them with their friends, colleagues andothers via email or social networks.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, these branded cartoon characters are, in oneembodiment, repurposed and embedded into discrete games or applicationson social networks, educational vignettes on website and in variousother scenarios across a wide array of network platforms. Theirpersistence throughout a long and complex sales cycle, and portabilityacross viral network platforms, enables them to keep users engaged atvarious stages of this process. Such frequent reengagement is animportant part of the process that facilitates the education ofconsumers until (and even after) they are “ready to buy.”

Educational Stage

Turning to FIG. 11, once a prospective customer is introduced to avirtual agent, their interaction becomes more personalized, asillustrated in slide 1110. In one embodiment, the prospective customercan personalize the virtual agent as well as the other brandedcharacters, including selecting from among multiple characters orcharacter attributes. Moreover, the interaction itself between thevirtual agent and the customer becomes more personalized as the customerenters personal biographical and other information.

Other branded characters are introduced (as shown in slide 1120) ascustomers are presented with navigational options based upon theirparticular areas of interest, such as life insurance, long-termdisability, long-term care, etc. It is important to note that thecustomer remains in control, while the system determines the appropriateinformation necessary to facilitate the customer's education regarding aparticular subject relating to one or more products or services.

For example, in slide 1120, the prospective customer is introduced tothe “Potter family” and, after selecting the “Long-Term Disability”learning module in slide 1130, encounters an initial “Bad Things Happen”episode in slide 1140 involving these branded cartoon characters, inwhich “Carl Potter” is texting on his mobile phone while bicycling andswerves into traffic. As this educational vignette is launched, thetransition to the educational stage (relating to one or more potentialtransactions) has occurred, as the customer continues to be engagedwhile learning about long-term disability insurance.

As will be discussed in greater detail below, information is provided toand obtained from customers in “bite-sized chunks” that keep themengaged, while allowing them to leave and resume their education (andeven purchase products at various points in the process) at theirconvenience. FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of the structure of ageneric learning module (eg, for a long-term disability insuranceproduct). In this embodiment, module 1210 is divided into three sections(and a module summary), each of which is followed by a quiz which thecustomer must complete satisfactorily before proceeding to the nextsection. Each section consists of multiple pages of information(discussed in greater detail below), along with opportunities forinteraction, such as asking questions and obtaining more detailedrelevant information. Upon completion of the module summary quiz, thesystem deems the customer ready to complete the enrollment process andpurchase the relevant long-term disability policy.

In this embodiment, the structure 1220 of each quiz is similar, andcontains multiple opportunities for the customer to provide correctanswers to each question. After each incorrect answer, the systemprovides an explanation as to why the response is incorrect, along withan additional opportunity to provide the correct answer. Incentives areprovided along the way (in the form of T-Nodes or points that can beredeemed for discounts, merchandise and/or other related products andservices), with a greater number of T-Nodes awarded for fewer incorrectanswers. In this embodiment, 50 T-Nodes are awarded for an initialcorrect answer, with 30 T-Nodes awarded for a correct answer on thesecond try, and 10 T-Nodes for a correct answer on the third try. Even athird incorrect answer results in an award of 10 T-Nodes, as thecustomer has been educated by virtue of the multiple explanationsregarding each incorrect choice.

In addition, even after a correct answer is supplied, the remainingincorrect choices are briefly explained to the customer in thisembodiment, again providing additional educational benefits. Bycontinuing to engage the customer with incentives, such as T-Nodes, theuser obtains the necessary education to make an informed purchasedecision, as well as being entertained and perhaps obtaining additionalmerchandise, discounts and other ancillary benefits.

Transactional Stage

Having sufficiently educated the prospective customer regarding aparticular product or service, the system, in one embodiment, moreactively directs the customer toward a transaction, such as theenrollment process for purchase of a long-term disability insurancepolicy, as illustrated in FIG. 13. Note again that this decision remainsunder the user's control. Even if the system deems a prospectivecustomer “ready to buy,” the customer may have additional questions orseek more detailed information (whether via the virtual agent, a livehuman agent, or simply by clicking on links and/or searching foradditional relevant information). Conversely, a customer may elect toengage in a transaction during an educational vignette, and thus (in oneembodiment) be provided multiple opportunities to interrupt theeducation process and proceed to purchase a particular product orservice (even before the system might deem the customer “ready to buy”).

FIG. 13 illustrates one embodiment of the initiation of an enrollmentprocess for a long-term disability insurance policy. Note that thesystem previously obtained certain information about the prospectivecustomer, “Kevin,” who is nearing the end of a learning module 1310relating to long-term disability, and is about to enter the enrollmentstage 1320 to complete a transaction. The system refers to Kevin byname, along with an indication of Kevin's current balance of 50 T-Nodes1330. In addition, the system has already filled in the fields 1340containing Kevin's full name (“Kevin Schwartz”) and age (32), both ofwhich are essential to the enrollment process. This two-way dialoguecontinues to facilitate Kevin's trust in the system, including thebranded characters.

Kevin may not even recall the circumstances under which he previouslyprovided this information while the system was educating him aboutlong-term disability insurance, but he can rely on his trusted virtualagent, Harvey Keck 1350, to remember all relevant information about him,as well as provide him with a 150 T-Node incentive award 1355 forcompleting the learning module and reaching this enrollment stage. Thisaward also incentivizes Kevin to continue with the enrollment processand provide additional necessary information 1360, such as his currentoccupation as well as his marital and parental status.

Note that the enrollment process continues across multiple screens, asadditional information may be required. In certain embodiments (notshown), physical tests (eg, blood tests) may need to be performed beforethe process can be completed. Human intervention may be required, butvirtual agent Harvey Keck 1350 remains familiar with the status of theprocess, and is always available (whether passively or proactively,depending on the situation) to guide Kevin toward completion of theenrollment process, shown in FIG. 14.

After completing the remaining information 1410, Kevin is ready tosubmit 1420 his enrollment application for processing. Note that, in oneembodiment, even some of this additional information 1410 (eg, whetherKevin's wife is pregnant) can be inferred by the system, saving Kevintime during the enrollment process and, more importantly, increasing thelikelihood that he will complete this process and not be hindered byunnecessary obstacles.

As noted above, even after having completed this enrollment process andengaged in a transaction, the relationship between Kevin and the system(and, in particular, Kevin's virtual agent, Harvey Keck) is not over.There are many instances in the future in which Kevin and his family maybe interested in and ready to learn about additional ancillary productsand services offered by various different vendors via the system. Kevinmay initiate this process, or be alerted by the system. Regardless, thesystem maintains relevant state information gathered from a variety ofsources, and is always available to put such information to use, if onlyto keep Kevin engaged until such time as he is ready to progress furtheralong a particular path.

Service Stage

FIG. 15 illustrates one embodiment of a service-oriented aspect of thepresent invention. Desktop widget 1510 runs in the background of acustomer's desktop computer, and can be invoked either by the system(eg, to alert the user to an opportunity) or by the user (eg, to pose aquestion or search or browse for specific information). in otherembodiments, similar widgets are also available on other networkplatforms, such as Facebook or other social networks. In either case,invocation of these widgets affords the customer an opportunity tointeract with trusted virtual agent and advisor Harvey Keck to engage ina dialogue and exchange information. Desktop widget 1510 also provides,in one embodiment, a gateway to one of the engagement applicationsdiscussed above (eg, a game), simply to keep the customer engaged andaware of the system's availability over time.

Customers might, for example, become curious about a particular type ofinsurance when faced with certain “state changes” in their lives, suchas renting or buying a car or a house, changing jobs, getting married,or having children. A customer might hear about another's illness oraccident and wonder how they might be affected in a similar situation.Regardless of the reason, the customer can invoke desktop widget 1510 topose a particular question or learn more about a particular insuranceproduct or service. Moreover, in the course of interacting with virtualagent Harvey Keck, the customer can reveal such state changes to thesystem, such as a change of jobs or marital status. The system in turnutilizes such information to prompt the customer (eg, at a later time)regarding a product or service that has become more relevant due to suchchange.

Desktop widget 1510 might, for example, notify the customer of a changein the customer's existing insurance, such as the recent availability ofa better product or a different product relating to the customer'schange in situation (job, location, age, etc). Again, regardless of thereason for the contact, the customer reengages with the system andbecomes educated with respect to a new product or service.

In one embodiment, desktop widget 1510 serves as a gateway for thecustomer to access other users in the community facing similar issues,whether directly (eg, text chat) or indirectly via a user forum or thesimple availability of relevant statistical information. In anotherembodiment, the system utilizes this targeted customer information toprovide additional incentives and cross-selling opportunities forancillary products or services.

It should be noted that a single virtual agent (Harvey Keck) whoprovides multiple different areas of expertise (eg, long-term disabilityand life insurance) over the course of a long-term relationship is morelikely to engender a customer's trust than would multiple live insuranceagents who contact the customer at random (often inconvenient) times andare far less accessible.

Moreover, the nature of the interaction between customers and virtualagent Harvey Keck is very important to the development of a high levelof trust over time, as is illustrated, in one embodiment, in FIG. 16.Various interactive techniques 1610 are employed to facilitate thisdialogue with customers, such as real-time character animation includingfacial and other gestures between and among the branded cartooncharacters. in one embodiment, these gestures are personalized basedupon a customer's biographical or demographic data, as well as responsesto questions and other behavior. Information from the system andcustomers is interpreted to drive this animation.

For example, a customer might be asked whether they have ever “textedwhile driving.” Not only would they be more likely to provide an honestanswer in this environment, but the result of an affirmative answermight well be far more entertaining and educational than would a drylecture from a live insurance agent citing statistics. In oneembodiment, Harvey and the other characters respond with light sarcasm(coupled with appropriate gestures and facial expressions), including apersonalized educational vignette discussing and illustrating thedangers of this practice and the relevance to a particular insuranceproduct.

Such interactions serve to keep the customer engaged in the process andmore likely to absorb the information being provided. Moreover, inaddition to direct interaction with Harvey, the system (in oneembodiment) also provides various community-oriented features 1620 basedupon interactions with customers, live agents and other users of thesystem. For example, answers to certain questions (eg, from variouscustomers or live agents or other “experts”) are rated by the usercommunity, which can be particularly useful for subjective issues, suchas those relating to risk, behavior, necessity of certain insuranceproducts for various demographic groups, etc. T-Nodes and otherincentives are provided for highly rated answers, and can be redeemedfor discounts on insurance and ancillary products.

In this embodiment, live insurance “experts” (or even experiencedcustomers) become known throughout the community, and contacted foradvice. Moreover, virtual agents or these experts recommend particularepisodes or complete educational vignettes for those interested in aparticular issue. In short, these community features 1620 facilitatecontinued engagement with the system, and provide additional mechanismsfor users to become educated about the various products and servicesthat are provided, which eventually leads to transactions when users are“ready to buy.” Again, this can be contrasted with traditional “hardsell” insurance marketing techniques that have proven particularlyineffective with Generation X and Generation Y consumers.

One particular technique for keeping users engaged with the system isillustrated in FIG. 17. Just as the system deploys pre-generated “BadThings Happen” episodes on various network platforms (websites, socialnetworks, users' home or worksite computer desktops, etc) to engageprospective customers, the system also enables users to customize andgenerate such episodes themselves. These user-generated episodes aremade possible by tools 1710 provided to users via the system.

System tools 1710 enable users to select and generate their owncharacters 1712 as well as their own plots and storylines 1714. Forexample, users might select from among the system's branded cartooncharacters or design their own characters, perhaps based upon actualimages of themselves, their friends, business associates or celebrities.In addition, users can select from among various scenarios (eg, atraffic accident, flood or earthquake) and deploy their chosencharacters into these scenarios while crafting a plot or storylinedetermining the experiences and interactions among these characters andtheir environment. For example, one might choose to “accidentally” crashinto their boss' car, who then falls off a bridge into the raging rapidsbelow.

Apart from their pure entertainment value, these user-generated episodeskeep users engaged with the system in a context that is still relevantto the products and services being offered (eg, long-term disabilityinsurance). In one embodiment, users can publish their creations 1716and share them with their friends and other system users on variousnetwork platforms. These episodes are rated by other users, with higherratings resulting in points or other incentives (eg, T-Nodes) beingawarded to system users who create the most popular episodes.

Finally, it should be noted that, in one embodiment, the informationrelating to these user-generated episodes (eg, the types of accidents orscenarios that users select and create, or that other users find mostcompelling) serves as a valuable source for data mining 1720 by thevendors (eg, insurance carriers) of the products and services offeredvia the system. For example, while statistics might indicate that aparticular type of accident is more likely to result in a long-termdisability, users might be more able to relate to such an accident aspart of one of these episodes involving characters with which they mayeven be familiar. Such visual illustrations are more likely to bepersuasive in driving home the point that such accidents, thoughunlikely, may merit insurance against the significant economic downsidesthat could result from such accidents (which can also be illustrated inthese episodes).

In one embodiment, the system provides a balance by ensuring that the“cause and effect” (eg, an accident or natural disaster and itsaftermath, such as the victim being unable to work for a period of time)are present in any user-created episode, while still allowing users agreat deal of freedom to select and create characters, plots andstorylines within certain pre-imposed constraints. This freedom, coupledwith various incentives, keeps users entertained and engaged in theprocess, while still affording opportunities for further education andpotential transactions with respect to the products and services offeredvia the system. Such techniques may not be as useful in a simple retailtransaction, but they are particularly important when selling insuranceand other financial service products and services that often require along and complex sales cycle.

An embodiment of another mechanism for keeping users engaged over a longperiod of time—timeline-based vignettes—is illustrated in FIG. 18. Thesevignettes, controlled via timeline navigator 1810, illustrate howparticular types of products and services 1812 become more relevantduring particular periods of time 1814 over the course of a person'slife. For example, when a couple is about to have a baby, certain typesof medical coverage become more relevant. Yet, advance planning may benecessary to acquire such coverage.

These timeline-based vignettes are an effective educational and lifetimeplanning tool that can be personalized to a customer's particularsituations and experiences. In one embodiment, this timeline structureis implemented within the user-generated episodes discussed above inFIG. 17. In other embodiments, distinct timeline-based vignettes aregenerated automatically by the system and personalized to a particularcustomer and made available via timeline navigator 1710. Customers caninvoke these vignettes on their own initiative, or be alertedautomatically by the system when a particular event becomes timely andof greater relevance.

For example, in one embodiment, if the system is aware of the age of acustomer or family member, it alerts the customer to a relevant changein an existing product or service or a new product or service thatbecomes relevant based upon reaching a particular age. A child reachingdriving age will of course require auto insurance, which can bepre-marketed by the system via an advance alert. Marriage, retirement,death and other time-related events are predicted by the system (orknown based upon user input provided in other contexts) and form thebasis of an alert.

Moreover, in one embodiment, the system utilizes actuarial anddemographic data (in addition to a particular customer's personal data)to illustrate the types of events that can occur, as well as how toinsure against them. By relying upon a personalized timeline, thesystem's “cause and effect” scenarios and potential solutions are morerelevant to prospective and actual customers. Rather than being theresult of a random sales call, these timeline-based vignettes areinvoked in a particularly “timely” manner (eg, via a system alert on auser's desktop computer) and thus are more likely to acquire andmaintain a user's attention. As noted above, education s more effectivewhen provided in bite-sized chunks at appropriate times, particularlywhile still allowing for user control and interaction in the process.

FIG. 19 illustrates a related concept—geographically-based vignettes. Inone embodiment, a geographic navigator 1910 is employed to illustrateparticular scenarios that are more relevant to specific geographicregions. Users view episodes illustrating these scenarios (perhaps inthe context of an educational vignette) and interact with their trustedadvisor, virtual agent Harvey Keck 1920, who recommends variouspotential solutions tailored to a particular geographic region.

Here too, these geographically-based vignettes, in one embodiment, canbe the subject of user-generated episodes, such as a flood or earthquakeusing a customer's home town as a backdrop. They can of course bepersonalized to the customer's particular geographic area, as well asother areas where family members might reside. A customer considering amove (eg, due to a change in employment) could quickly ascertain anyadvantages or disadvantages due to the different insurance plans offeredin other geographic areas.

Moreover, if the system becomes aware of such a change in location viainformation obtained in another context, it immediately alerts the user(in one embodiment) to any relevant differences in products and servicesoffered in the new location. The ability to use geographic navigator1910 as a planning tool (whether invoked by the customer or via a systemalert) is a valuable resource, particularly when supplemented withactuarial and demographic aggregate data, as well as individualpersonalized data targeted to a customer and family members.

Long-Term Disability Scenario

Having discussed the various stages of a complex transaction, FIG. 20illustrates an embodiment of various transitions among these stages. Asnoted above, users remain in control and can interrupt this process,leaving and returning to the system, jumping from one stage to another,repeating a stage or a particular episode, etc. In this respect, usersdetermine the speed with which they proceed through episodes andlearning modules, as well as when they are ready to move forward orbackward, or simply take a break.

Having been engaged in the system (eg, via a Facebook application), aprospective customer navigates at some point (eg, via a link) to a “homescreen” such as screen 2010 (which, in other embodiments, consists ofmultiple screens). At this stage, prospective customers are introducedto virtual agent, Harvey Keck, receive some basic industry information(eg, a statistic relating to a particular product or service in whichthey have expressed interest, if only by playing a particular game orapplication) and are asked for some general biographical information,such as their name and email address. General system features are alsoexplained, such as the use of T-Nodes as incentives for proceedingfurther into the process in exchange for merchandise and discounts onvarious core and ancillary products and services.

Having signed up, prospective customers are directed to various learningmodules, as illustrated in screen 2020, reflecting their entry into theeducational stage of the process. At this stage, they are introduced toother branded cartoon characters, such as the “Potter Family,” who arethe subject of various learning module episodes. Some of thesecharacters may already be familiar to prospective customers whoencountered one or more of them in an engaging game, application orepisode on another network platform, such as a social network.

Eventually, a prospective customer selects a particular learning moduleof interest (eg, long-term disability or LTD) and, in one embodiment,receives T-Nodes as an incentive for continuing to become educatedregarding potential products and services of interest. The customer isdirected to the beginning of one of various relevant educational LTDepisodes, such as the one illustrated in screen 2030.

Upon completion of that episode, a prospective customer is directed tothe beginning of LTD learning module 2040, in order to be educated ingreater detail regarding various aspects of relevant LTD plans. In oneembodiment, this learning module includes multiple “bad things happen”episodes and alternative LTD plans—targeted to the prospectivecustomer's specific biographical and general demographic data. Inaddition, the system affords prospective customers the opportunity toask questions to clarify certain details or obtain additionalinformation, as well as browse through additional materials. As notedabove, certain questions may require the intervention of a live humanexpert whose answers are, in one embodiment, delivered via virtual agentHarvey Keck.

Certain prospective customers will, at some point in this process, electto enroll in a desired plan, as illustrated in screen 2050. Havingentered this transactional stage, a customer will be directed throughthe enrollment process by virtual agent Harvey Keck, who will ask foradditional required information relevant to the selected plan. As notedabove, this process, in one embodiment, requires multiple screens, andcan be interrupted by the necessity of human intervention (eg, toschedule and perform a blood test). Once this process reachescompletion, eg, when the customer selects the “submit” button and isinformed of the results of the enrollment process (eg, premiums, planand payment details, etc), the customer transitions to the “Service”stage (not shown) as discussed above.

FIGS. 21 a-21 ii illustrate an embodiment of this process and thetwo-way exchange of information in the context of a specific learningmodule relating to Long-Term Disability insurance. They highlightcertain aspects of the step-by-step process a prospective customerexperiences shortly after the initial engagement process (eg, afterclicking on a link for additional information after playing a game orapplication on a social network).

Starting with FIG. 21 a, a customer signs into an existing account byentering an email address and password into fields 2102. If no accountwas previously created, the customer creates a new account by fillingout the fields in form 2104, perhaps as a result of the incentive ofadditional T-Nodes being offered for the creation of an account. Heretoo, the customer is in control as to when to create an account, withoutinterrupting the initial stages of the educational process.

Information is provided, as illustrated in panel 2106, which includesrelevant statistics regarding the cause and consequences of variousaccidents that can result in loss of life or a disability, as well asinformation about how prospective customers can earn and redeem T-Nodes.For example, T-Nodes can be redeemed for discounts on products andservices that are ancillary to various insurance products, such asGoogle's G1 phone for use on T-Mobile's cellular network, as illustratedin panel 2108.

In this embodiment, a prospective customer is introduced to virtualagent, Harvey Keck, for the first time (as shown in panel 2110), alongwith another branded cartoon character, his sidekick piggy bank namedKenny. Harvey introduces himself and displays general information aboutthe learning modules, while Kenny directs the prospective customer tothe “PLAY” button to progress further.

After Harvey notes that he is virtual, not real, Kenny interjects somehumor by responding to Harvey with his “Well . . . I can tell” lineshown in panel 2112 in FIG. 21 b. Harvey responds by telling Kenny to bequiet (panel 2114 in FIG. 21 c). This humorous interaction between thebranded cartoon characters continues to keep prospective customersengaged as they progress through this educational stage.

Harvey notes, in panel 2116 in FIG. 21 d, that Kenny can be used to saveT-Nodes, the virtual currency offered by the system. Harvey thenproceeds to display various alternative learning modules a customer canselect, as illustrated in panel 2118 in FIG. 21 e, and goes on toexplain that learning modules can include cartoon episodes, such asthose shown in panel 2120 in FIG. 21 f with Carl Potter, and in panel2122 in FIG. 21 g, with the rest of the Potter family and their friends.

Harvey further explains how learning modules can include quizzes,illustrated in panel 2124 in FIG. 21 h, containing questions (shown inpanel 2126 in FIG. 21 i) which, if answered correctly, can earn customerT-Nodes that can be deposited in talking piggy bank Kenny (shown inpanel 2128 in FIG. 21 j) and redeemed for discounts on variousinsurance-related and ancillary products and services, shown in panel2130 in FIG. 21 k.

Kenny reminds customers that they will become smarter about insurance(as illustrated in panels 2132 and 2134 in FIG. 21I) via these learningmodules, and Harvey then offers customers 50 T-Nodes to provide somebasic information and create an account, as shown in panel 2136 in FIG.21 m, and panel 2138 in FIG. 21 n. FIG. 21 n also shows the fieldsfilled in by the prospective customer (in form 2140) in response toHarvey's offer.

FIG. 210 illustrates the results of a prospective customer's successfulcreation of an account, as indicated in panel 2142 which also notes thecustomer's current balance of 50 T-Nodes. Panel 2144 includes links tosome of the many options that a customer could select. For example, acustomer might proceed to select (or return to) a particular learningmodule to learn more about one of the products or services offered byvarious providers. Another customer might instead choose to enroll in aparticular insurance plan (whether or not they have completed, or evenstarted, a learning module related to that plan), while others mightwant to ask questions or talk to a live human agent.

Assuming a prospective customer elects to proceed with the learningmodules, FIG. 21 p illustrates an introductory episode (the selection ofwhich is shown in panel 2146) that introduces the customer to the Potterfamily, a collection of branded cartoon characters to which “bad thingshappen.” In one embodiment, Harvey interacts directly with Carl Potter,in the context of Carl being presented with the insurance plan optionsoffered at his worksite. Harvey notes (in panel 2148) that the optionsseemed too complicated for Carl to understand, which Carl confirms (“Ireally tried”) in panel 2150. Through this simple interaction, manyprospective customers will immediately recall their own experiences withtheir employer's insurance plans when they first started a new job.

As Harvey notes in panel 2152 of FIG. 21 q, Carl did what many peopledo—simply select the basic plan (illustrated in panel 2154), rather thanundertake the effort of understanding the distinctions offered by themany complicated alternative options. The ominous results of Carl'sdecision are alluded to in FIG. 21 r, via the reactions of Kenny (inpanel 2156) and Carl (panel 2158).

FIG. 21 s marks the beginning of the “Long Term Disability” learningmodule, as shown in item 2160. Panel 2161 introduces the initial “WhenBad Things Happen” episode entitled “Long Term Disability,” while Kenny(in panel 2162) sarcastically comments to Harvey, “I can't wait.”

Turning to panel 2163 in FIG. 21 t, Harvey begins the episode byrevealing that Carl, who has a habit of texting while driving (as shownin panel 2164), failed to pay attention one day and swerved into traffic(as further illustrated in panels 2165 and 2166 of FIG. 21 u). In panel2167 of FIG. 21 v, Harvey reveals the aftermath of Carl's accident(while Kenny turns away), which lands Carl in the hospital with multiplefractures and a spinal injury (illustrated in panel 2168).

Subsequently, after Carl returns home in his wheelchair, he continueshis habit of texting while “driving” (as illustrated in panel 2169 ofFIG. 21 w), which Kenny (in panel 2170) finds “unbelievable.” Harveygoes on with the story in panel 2171 of FIG. 21 x, relating howGertrude, Carl's mother-in-law (shown in panel 2172), came to visit oneday after Carl returned home. Harvey notes (in panel 2173 of FIG. 21 y)that Gertrude was coming up the stairs (shown in panel 2174) and wasstartled by Carl's inattentive wheelchair driving (shown in panel 2175of FIG. 21 z) and, as a result (as Harvey relates in panel 2176),Gertrude fell “head over heels” down the stairs.

An interesting change in the presentation is illustrated in FIG. 21 aa,as Carl now appears in panel 2177, together with Harvey and Kenny.Harvey now addresses Carl directly (as well as the prospectivecustomer), and reminds Carl that he may now be out of work for 3 monthsor more, with panel 2178 showing Carl still at home in his wheelchairfor at least six months.

Harvey tells Carl in panel 2179 of FIG. 21 bb that Carl needs some morefacts, and tells Kenny to “get back over here” after Kenny moves topanel 2180 to gloat over the Potter family's troubles. Gertrude, thoughhealed, is visibly angry that Carl is still bandaged and in a wheelchairat home, presumably bringing in no money to support the family. Aninsurance check made out to Carl is shown, illustrating money Carl couldhave received had he signed up for optional long term disabilityinsurance in addition to the “basic” plan offered by his employer.

In panel 2181 of FIG. 21 cc, Harvey notes that those over 40 anddisabled are likely to be out of work for a long time—at least 5½ years(confirmed by the crowd in panel 2182). Subsequently, in a later slide,illustrated in FIG. 21 dd, Harvey may quiz prospective customers byasking them how long a 40-year old is likely to remain disabled (panel2183). If the prospective customer answers correctly (eg, by selectingthe correct choice of 5½ years, as shown in panel 2184), Kenny notesthat the customer answered correctly and has earned 50 T-Nodes (alsoillustrated in panel 2183).

FIG. 2 lee illustrates the end of a second section of the LTD learningmodule, entitled “How can I insure against lost income?” Havingcompleted this section (eg, a quiz at the end of the section), Harveynotes (in panel 2185) that the prospective customer (Minnie) has earneda total of 175 T-Nodes, which can be redeemed for discounts on selectedproducts, such as the G1 cell phone from T-Mobile illustrated in panel2186.

At this point, Harvey prompts the prospective customer (in panel 2187 ofFIG. 21 ff) to consider enrolling in the offered LTD plan, by selectingthe Enroll button shown in panel 2188. Note that the prospectivecustomer, in one embodiment, could have elected to enter this enrollmentprocess at various points throughout this learning module, and thatHarvey may have explicitly suggested this option on multiple occasions.As noted above, in one embodiment, Harvey endeavors to ensure that theprospective customer is “ready to buy” before suggesting enrollment, butleaves that decision to the prospective customer who may decide toenroll earlier or later in the process.

Once a prospective customer elects to consider enrolling in a particularinsurance plan (or purchasing a particular product or service), thecustomer transitions from the educational stage of this process to thetransactional stage. One embodiment of the beginning of such anenrollment stage is illustrated in FIG. 21 gg-eg, after the customer,Minnie Mouse, elects to consider enrolling in a long term disabilityplan. In panel 2189, Harvey asks for some additional data (eg, datarequired by the provider for enrollment) used to calculate how much thisplan will cost Minnie. This data, shown in panel 2190, includesinformation already known about Minnie, as well as additionalinformation required from Minnie to complete the form.

Note also that, in one embodiment, information is obtained fromprospective customers in “bite-sized chunks” only when it is required.This prevents customers from being overwhelmed by the process andincreases the likelihood they will “see it through.”

The results of the calculation are shown in panel 2191 of FIG. 21 hh,with Minnie's employer (Disney) covering 60% of Minnie's $200K salary(limited at $15K/month). In other words, Minnie would receive $10K inmonthly benefits while disabled. Her monthly premium of $83.33 ($1Kannually) would be deducted from her paycheck. Upon selecting the BUYbutton shown in panel 2191, Harvey thanks Minnie (in panel 2192 of FIG.21 ii) for enrolling in the long term disability plan, and informs herthat a copy of her policy will be mailed to her home address.

The above scenario represents a sampling of one embodiment of a learningmodule and enrollment process for long term disability insurance. Inother embodiments, a great deal of additional information is provided toprospective customers as they elect to pursue different paths in thislong and complex process. It should be emphasized, however, that thebranded cartoon characters persist throughout this process, continuallyengaging prospective customers, across multiple network platforms, evenafter any individual transaction has been completed. It is thispersistent engagement with a trusted virtual agent and advisor and a“family” of virtual characters that facilitates a customer's ultimatepurchase of core and ancillary products and services over time.

Upon reading this disclosure, those of skill in the art will appreciatestill additional alternative structural and functional designs for thesystem and processes and general concepts and principles disclosedherein. Thus, while particular embodiments and applications have beenillustrated and described, it is to be understood that the disclosedembodiments are not limited to the precise construction and componentsdisclosed herein. Various modifications, changes and variations, whichwill be apparent to those skilled in the art, may be made in thearrangement, operation and details of the method and apparatus disclosedherein without departing from the spirit and scope defined in theappended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for facilitating complexmulti-stage transactions between prospective customers and providers ofproducts and services, the method including the following steps: (a)hosting on a first computer a first application that is accessible by aprospective customer of a provider offering to sell one or more productsor services; (b) employing on the first computer a first virtualcharacter in the first application to interact with and engage theprospective customer, during a first stage of a complex transaction,regarding the products and services offered by the provider; (c)employing on the first computer the first virtual character to interactwith and educate the prospective customer, during a second stage of thecomplex transaction, regarding the characteristics and suitability tothe prospective customer of the products and services offered by theprovider, wherein the first virtual character: (i) poses one or morequestions to the prospective customer, (ii) obtains data from theprospective customer in response to such questions, and (iii) provideseducational material to the prospective customer that is tailored tosuch data; and (d) enabling the prospective customer, via the firstcomputer, during a third stage of the complex transaction, to purchaseone or more of the products and services offered by the provider.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein data provided by the customer during a firstsession with the first computer are retained and utilized during asubsequent second session so as to provide the customer with apersonalized experience.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the retaineddata are utilized on the first computer to provide targetedadvertisements to the customer.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst virtual character on the first computer employs aggregate industrydata to educate the prospective customer during the second stage of thecomplex transaction.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the prospectivecustomer, during a first session with the first computer purchases aproduct or service during the third stage of the complex transaction,and wherein the first virtual character, during a subsequent secondsession, employs aggregate industry data to recommend additionalproducts and services to the prospective customer.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the first virtual character on the first computerutilizes the data provided by the prospective customer to tailor thechoices of products and services presented to the prospective customerduring the second stage of the complext transaction.
 7. A method forfacilitating complex multi-stage transactions between prospectivecustomers and providers of products and services, the method includingthe following steps: (a) hosting on a first computer a first applicationthat is accessible by a prospective customer of a provider offering tosell one or more products or services; (b) employing on the firstcomputer a first virtual character in the first application, during afirst session with the prospective customer, to: (i) interact with andengage the prospective customer, during a first stage of a complextransaction, regarding the products and services offered by theprovider; (ii) interact with and educate the prospective customer,during a second stage of the complex transaction, regarding thecharacteristics and suitability to the prospective customer of theproducts and services offered by the provider, wherein the first virtualcharacter: (1) poses one or more questions to the prospective customer,(2) obtains data from the prospective customer in response to suchquestions, and (3) provides educational material to the prospectivecustomer that is tailored to such data; and (iii) enable the prospectivecustomer, during a third stage of the complex transaction, to purchaseone or more of the products and services offered by the provider; and(c) employing on the first computer the first virtual character in thefirst application, during a second session with the prospectivecustomer, to provide the customer with a personalized experience byemploying data retained from the first session.
 8. The method of claim7, wherein the retained data are utilized on the first computer toprovide targeted advertisements to the customer.
 9. The method of claim7, wherein the first virtual character on the first computer employsaggregate industry data to educate the prospective customer during thesecond stage of the complex transaction.
 10. The method of claim 7,wherein the prospective customer, during the first session with thefirst computer purchases a product or service during the third stage ofthe complex transaction, and wherein the first virtual character, duringthe second session, employs aggregate industry data to recommendadditional products and services to the prospective customer.
 11. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the first virtual character on the firstcomputer utilizes the data provided by the prospective customer totailor the choices of products and services presented to the prospectivecustomer during the second stage of the complext transaction.
 12. Amethod for facilitating complex multi-stage transactions betweenprospective customers and providers of products and services, the methodincluding the following steps: (a) hosting on a first computer a firstapplication that is accessible by a prospective customer of a provideroffering to sell one or more products or services; (b) employing on thefirst computer a first virtual character in the first application,during a first session with the prospective customer, to: (i) interactwith and engage the prospective customer, during a first stage of acomplex transaction, regarding the products and services offered by theprovider; (ii) interact with and educate the prospective customer,during a second stage of the complex transaction, regarding thecharacteristics and suitability to the prospective customer of theproducts and services offered by the provider, wherein the first virtualcharacter obtains data from the prospective customer; and (iii) enablethe prospective customer, during a third stage of the complextransaction, to purchase one or more of the products and servicesoffered by the provider; and (c) employing the first virtual characteron the first computer in the first application, during a second sessionwith the prospective customer, to provide the customer with apersonalized experience by employing data retained from the firstsession.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the retained data areutilized on the first computer to provide targeted advertisements to thecustomer.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first virtualcharacter on the first computer employs aggregate industry data toeducate the prospective customer during the second stage of the complextransaction.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the prospectivecustomer, during the first session with the first computer purchases aproduct or service during the third stage of the complex transaction,and wherein the first virtual character, during the second session,employs aggregate industry data to recommend additional products andservices to the prospective customer.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein the first virtual character on the first computer utilizes thedata provided by the prospective customer to tailor the choices ofproducts and services presented to the prospective customer during thesecond stage of the complext transaction.